Former South African captain Faf Du Plessis brands David Warner a bully

Former South African captain Faf Du Plessis has opened up on the sandpaper-gate controversy saying he has no time for bullies like David Warner.

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has said he has no time for Australia “bully” David Warner.

In an interview with the BBC to coincide with the recent publication of his book, ‘Faf: Through Fire’, Du Plessis recalled the Australia batsman’s role in a now infamous incident during the first Test in Durban in 2018.

At tea on the fourth day, with South Africa’s Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock batting to save the Test, Warner started hurling a volley of abuse at De Kock in the players’ tunnel.

The already dismissed Du Plessis emerged from the home dressing room clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist and helped cool tempers.

David Warner and Steve Smith in the test match where sandpaper-gate came to a head. Picture: AFP PHOTO / MARCO LONGARI

Australia won the match by 118 runs.

But it was South Africa who would take the series, which would see Warner, Australia captain Steve Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft all banned for their roles in the ‘Sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy in the third Test, 3-1 in a highlight of Du Plessis’s four-year tenure as skipper.

“Australia wanted to bully us,” Du Plessis, 38, told the BBC as he reflected on the Durban match.

“We had to stand up for ourselves. They abused us that whole game but the way we fought back turned the series around.” And while he had some sympathy for the impressionable Bancroft and admiration for the talented Smith, there was no such goodwill towards Warner.

“He was a bully,” said Du Plessis. “I don’t have time for bullies.”

WHY THERE’S HOPE IN WARNER CAPTAINCY BAN SAGA

Pat Cummins will lead Australia in the three-match One Day International series against England, which begins on Thursday in Adelaide, as the process of undoing David Warner’s leadership drags on.

There is, however, hope that the issue may be resolved in the near future with changes to the code of conduct set to be put to the board.

It is understood Warner would have to present himself before a board of commissioners to plead his case once the changes have been made.

There had been suggestions he would be placed on a good behaviour bond despite keeping his nose clean since returning to the game in 2019.

Cummins became ODI skipper when Aaron Finch stood down on the eve of the T20 World Cup.

The move came as a surprise given Warner was considered a potential candidate for the role, but selectors were set on the Test captain and confirmed his appointment after Cummins agreed to take on the job up to next year’s World Cup.

At 36, Dave Warner only a limited amount of time in the game and must now be only a short-term candidate if any captaincy role did come up in either format.

Warner, who is considered one of the sharpest tactical minds in cricket, has successfully led IPL franchises and has an 11-1 win loss record from the three ODIs and nine T20s where he stood in as leader prior to the ban.

Sydney Thunder is anxious to get an answer after it signed the opening batsman to a special two-year contract as part of a move to attract high-profile players to the BBL.

The 36-year-old has only a limited amount of time in the game and must now be only a short-term candidate if any role did come up in either format.

Australia does not play another T20 until late next year, but at least Warner could lead the Thunder

Dave Warner is considered one of the sharpest tactical minds in cricket.

Warner has an 11-1 win loss record from the three ODIs and nine T20s.

“At the end of the day, I’ve just got to accept what the decision is handed down,” he said.

“There is talk that I might be able to have a chat to the integrity unit, if that’s possible I’m happy just to sit down with them and just chew the fat a little bit and if it does get overturned we have to go from there.

“But, for me, I’m a leader in this no matter what, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got a ‘C’ or a ‘V’ next to your name, you’ve got to put your best foot forward and lead by example.”

The Australian Cricketers Association first called for a review of the player bans in late 2018 and made an official approach to Cricket Australia earlier this year.

The board, which has almost been completely replaced since the imposition of the lifetime leadership ban in 2018, finally resolved in October to examine the issue.

“The amendment would allow a person to request a penalty that they had accepted be reviewed after an appropriate period of time,” the board said in a statement at the time.

“The onus would be on the applicant to prove they had undergone genuine reform relevant to the offence they were sanction for. Any review would not revisit the original sanction, other than suspension of a penalty in recognition of genuine reform.”

Originally published as Former South African captain Faf Du Plessis brands David Warner a bully